And this is why we drink

Thiul wouldn't say she was a big drinker, and the last time she had been drunk Hal was created. That incident probablynwas the biggest reason why Thiul avoided heavy drinking, and even when she did drink it was usually coctails, little wine or simply beer. Thiul wasn't picky with her alcohol.
But lately she had been especially hesitant to drink alcohol because she really wanted to drink, and that wasn't a good sign. Thiul knew the reason, and the reason was the same person she had been drunk with 15 years ago. Odette had really taken Thiul by surprise, and Thiul did not like being taken by surprise. And it didn't help that the next day she had checked her eldest brother's other egg, that had not hatched, and deemed it a stillborn
Yes, that had not helped at all.

Thiul was spinning her glass of white wine that sat in front of her on the counter, her brow was in the same frown she had on her face constantly this last week. Thiul had told Hal about Odette yesterday, and though he had taken it better than she had Thiul was worried about him. She had told him that his fucking father was around, and a woman.
Yes, Thiul was just a little worried for her son.
Thiul grabbed the glass and downed it like it was a beer pint, just when Titus spoke to her. Oh, yes, Titus was here too. Normally it was pretty hard to forget Titus was around, especially since he was this close to making annoying Thiul an artform. But today Thiul was out of it. She turned to look at Titus, her frown never disappearing.
"I'm a doctor. I have to run myself ragged sometimes even if it's not good, or people die."

Thiul narrowed her eyes at the face Titus made at her, it pissed her off it was so clear for him to see that something was bothering her. Thiul knew now how Hal felt when Thiul probed him for information just by saying his name. Thiul sighed and rubbed her face briefly, when Titus said they were friends. Thiul wasn't really sure since when but she couldn't deny it either. It'd be more strange if they weren't friends at this point.
"I'm not sure if I want to lay all my shit on you. I make it my principle not to complain."

Thiul was way too tired to start a battle of wills with Titus, even though she was pretty confident she would win said battle. But Titus was right, even a person like Thiul who had very few friends knew it.
"Well, you asked for it."
Thiul emptied her wine glass with one big gulp and looked forward as she spoke.
"Hal's father showed up, as my colleague at the hospital. But she's a woman now, her name is Odette."
Thiul turned to look at Titus, challenge in her eyes. What would he say to that?

How disappointing, Titus' reaction was pretty minimal, but Thiul didn't know what she had expected.
"Stressful and awkward is putting it lightly. I never expected to meet Hal's father again, I tried finding hi-, her after I found out I was pregnant but she had disappeared into thin fucking air. And now she suddenly turns up and she recognizes me right away and I don't even know her fucking name. I want to punch the me 16 years to the stomach."
Thiul growled a bit and turned to look behind the bar, eyeing one lf the whiskey bottles and considering just throwing that back. She wasn't nearly drunk enough to talk about this.
"I already told Hal and he just took it so fucking reasonably. I have no idea where he inherits it from. I'm the least reasonable person around."
Thiul let out a small bitter laugh and signaled for the bartender to bring her another wine glass. If she let herself get drunk now she'd only be repeating history.

Thiul received her glass of wine just when Titus answered her, and she took a long sip. She turned her head to narrow her eyes at Titus, he was on thin ice just for trying to tell her what to do. And yes, Titus was right, when he said his last words Thiul's eyes turned ice and she tapped her nails against the bar counter.
"I don't need you to tell me how strong I fucking am, I know I'm strong. I should also tell you I regret nothing, Hal was one of the best things ever happen to me. If I'm stewing in anything it's irritation and I'm in that state constantly, if you hadn't noticed."
Thiul emptied the wine glass and put it on the counter a bit roughly, not enough to break it.
"I'm beating myself up for being so damn indifferent, and if I had the chance to redo it I'd change nothing. I don't do regret, not anymore, not ever again."